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Letter from Henry David Thoreau to Harrison Gray Otis Blake

by: Thoreau, Henry David, 1817-1862

Publication date: 1857-04-17

Usage: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/legalcode

Topics: Blake, H. G. O. (Harrison Gray Otis), 1816?-1898, Correspondence, Abernethy Manuscripts Collection

Collection: abernethycollection; middleburycollege; americana

Language: english-handwritten

Rights: For questions or information about duplication, licensing, or copyright status for this item, please contact Special Collections, Middlebury College Library at specialcollections@middlebury.edu

Sorry he missed his visit. Invites him to come back soon. Brief discussion about personal relations. Mentions Edward Everett Hale, Theodore Brown, Seth Rogers, David Wasson, Thomas Cholmondeley, Daniel Ricketson and Ellery Channing.
This is a scanned version of the original document in the Abernethy Manuscripts Collection at Middlebury College.
Help us improve our transcriptions! If you see an error, email us at specialcollections@middlebury.edu .

Addeddate: 2016-02-12 16:43:41

Foldoutcount: 0

Identifier: aberms.thoreauhd.1857.04.17

Identifier-ark: ark:/13960/t55f2zt85

Language-statement: Our collections and catalog records may contain offensive or harmful language and content that may be difficult to view. To learn more, read our statement on language in archival and library catalogs.

Ocr: tesseract 4.1.1

Ocr_detected_lang: en

Ocr_detected_lang_conf: 0.2233

Ocr_detected_script: Japanese

Ocr_detected_script_conf: 1.0000

Ocr_module_version: 0.0.11

Ocr_parameters: -l eng

Transcription

Concord Apr. 17th 1857Mr Blake,        I returnedfrom New Bedford nightbefore last. I met Alcottthere & learned from himthat probably you had goneto Concord. I am very sorrythat I missed you. I hadexpected you earlier, atlast thought that I shouldget back before you came,but I ought to have no-tified you of my absence.However, it would havebeen too late, after I hadmade up my mind to go.I hope you lost nothingby going a little round.        I took out theCeltis seeds at your request,at the time we spoke of them[page break]and left them in thechamber on some shelfor other. If you havefound them, very well;if you have not foundthem, very well; but tellHale of it, if you see him.        My mother saysthat you & Brown &Rogers & Wasson (titlesleft behind) talk of “comingdown on” me some day.Do not fail to comeone & all, and withina week or two, if possible,else I _may_ be gone again.Give me a short notice,and then come & spenda day on Concord River-or say that you willcome if it is fair, unlessyou are confident ofbringing fair weather withyou. Come & be Concord,[page break]as I have been Worcestered.        Perhaps you camenearer to me for not findingme at home, for trainsof thought the more canmeet when trains of carsdo not. If I had ac-tually met you, you wouldwould have gone again, butnow I have not yet dismissedyou. I hear what you sayabout personal relationswith joy. It is as if youwere to say, I value thebest & finest part ofyou, & not the worst. Ican even endure your verynear & real approach, &prefer it to a shake of thehand. This intercourse isnot subject to time or dis-[a section of the letter has been cut out][loss] a very long[loss]tter from[page break]Cholmondeley which I wishto show you. He speaksof sending me more books!!        If I were with you nowI could tell you muchof Ricketson, and my visitto New Bedford, but I donot know how it will be by& by.  I should like to haveyou meet R.- who is thefrankest man I know.Alcott & he get along verywell together.        Channing has returned toConcord with me, probablyfor a short visit only.        Consider this a businessletter, which you know[underline] counts [/underline] nothing in thegame we play.        Remember me particularlyto Brown. [other side of cut out section, this writing is next to it](Henry D. Thoreau)[‘Lonese.?](I have a new& faithful [he?] copiedfrom the letter cut out H.G.O.B)